Sangurigadhi draws hikers and bikers in times of pandemic

Kathmandu - Birat Anupam Bimal Tamang and his close friends of Dharan were at Sangurigadhi on a recent afternoon. An inhabitant of Dharan-13, Tamang said he made his journey to the uphill hiking to the ancient fort of east Nepal to escape baking sun at Dharan. ''It was restriction on Dharan for the vehicular movements and mass gathering of people. However, my home is in the upper edge of Dharan, it is easy to walk uphill and there is no restriction on walking'', said Tamang. He added, ''We were in a group of five.

All of us wore facemask, maintained physical distance and made our journey.'' Similar is the story of Devraj Nagarkoti, a schoolteacher at Saraswati Secondary School of Itahari-3. Nagarkoti reached to to Sangurigadhi with his 8 friends at the fort on Saturday. ''There are not any human settlement and community area along the route of the Sangurigadhi hiking trail'', said Nagarkoti,''And, it was not fully restricted to ride on two-wheelers up to Dharan, the starting point of the famous hiking trail.'' There are many hikers like Tamang and Nagarkoti who are frequenting the famed fort located at the bordering area of Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-6 and Dharan-4.

This area also borders hilly district of Dhankuta with Terai district Sunsari. Situated at an altitude of 1400 meter from the sea level, this is perfect venue to view mid-hills and plain Terai including Nepal's largest river Saptakoshi. Sangurigadhi is located at around three kilometres north western side of Bhedetar, a popular touristic hill station of east Nepal. A 4-hour-long hiking destination from downhill Dharan, Sangurigadhi is close to Bhedetar bazar also.

It can be reached within half an hour walk, informed tourism entrepreneur of Bhedetar Asish Rai. According to Rai, hikers and bikers are frequenting this fort. ''Hikers come uphill from Dharan's B.P. Koirala Memorial Park and bikers come from Dharan-Dhankuta roadways'', informed Rai. Despite closure of all hotels at Bhedetar, hikers and bikers are coming to visit the fort carrying packed snacks, said Rai.